Six Area Wrestlers To Grapple For VHSL Titles

Posted: February 20, 2016
Star staff report

SALEM — Six area wrestlers will compete for VHSL titles, but Clarke County’s reign as Group 2A team champion will end today at the Salem Civic Center.

The Eagles’ Dawson Parrott (113), Bayne Gordon (126) and Bryan Wallace (195) advanced to today’s finals by winning a pair of matches Friday.

But Clarke County will be wrestling for second place today thanks to a monster day by Grundy, which finished 2.5 points behind the Eagles in the team race last season. Grundy went 12-0 in the quarterfinal round and has seven wrestlers in today’s finals.

The Golden Wave have amassed 174 teams points. Clarke County is next with 80 points and Strasburg is third with 61.

In the Group 4A Tournament, James Wood’s Aaron Black (113), Handley’s Lio Quezada (132) and Sherando’s John Borst (182) each won a pair of matches and will wrestle for titles this afternoon.

The biggest surprise for the Eagles is Parrott, a freshman who placed second in regional competition. Parrott won a wild 13-12 decision over Grayson County’s Will Anders in the quarterfinals. He then bounced second-seeded Mark Deahl of Union 5-3, winning with a takedown in the first sudden victory period. Parrott (22-18) will face Strasburg’s Kyle Sisk (40-3) in today’s final. Sisk defeated Parrott 13-0 in the 2A East Region final.

Junior Gordon, a two-time defending state champion, and sophomore Wallace, a defending champ, cruised into the finals. Gordon decisioned Lebanon’s Jarron Smith 9-3 in the quarterfinals and majored R.E. Lee’s Alex Williams 18-6 in the semifinals. Gordon (51-5) will meet Grundy’s Wesley Belcher (31-4) in the final.

Wallace extended his streak of pins to 30, with a pair of first-period falls. He needed just 54 seconds to dispatch Dan River’s Jacob Stewart and took out Grundy’s Cullen Cleek in 1:27. Wallace (45-0) will face Lebanon’s Austin Cox (45-2) in the title match.

Brendan Ciaburri (132), Jaxon Ottobre (138) and William Heath (152) each won first-round matches for the Eagles, but fell in the semifinals. Each are alive in the consolations. Timmy Stokes (145) and Pete McLean (220) dropped first-round matches, but are still alive with wins in the consolations. Hunter Fiddler (170) was eliminated.

In Group 4A, Borst , a state champion last year, cruised into the finals. He pinned Eastern View’s Tyler Keen in just 40 seconds and dominated Rock Ridge’s Griffin Oberg in a 21-6 technical fall that ended at 5:31 in the third period. The Warrior junior (54-2) will meet Hanover’s T.J. Allen (33-3) in highly anticipated final. Allen, a Virginia Tech recruit, won crown at 195 last year.

Quezada, a 2014 state title winner, also easily advanced with a pin of Louisa County’s Jaret Grimsley in 1:28 followed by a 7-1 decision over Deep Creek’s Keith Trochelman. The Judges senior (44-3) will battle Hanover’s Tyler Flora (22-6) in the final.

Black, a 2014 state title winner, made his third consecutive final. He majored Eastern View’s Andrew Nazzaro 13-2 and followed with a 7-3 decision over Great Bridge’s Charles Steckline. The Colonels junior (49-4) faces Faquier’s Kyle Budd (38-6) in the title match.

Sherando’s Mike Duffy (126) and Handley’s Tommy Shea-Roop (220) won quarterfinal matches but fell in the semifinals. Handley’s Cam Bentley (138) dropped his first match but is alive in the consolations.

James Wood’s Zak Singhas (126) and Adam Vadell (285), Millbrook’s Trae Sine (145) and Handley’s Dolan Delaney (170) were eliminated.

Consolation matches begin today at 9 a.m. The championship finals start at 2:30 p.m.